“Restriction prevents me from doing my job effectively” – Councillor

Councillor Corinne Lamont has expressed her “extreme disappointment” after her fellow councillors voted 7-7 to maintain the restriction limiting councillors to raising only one Notice of Motion (NoM) per meeting. 

Mayor Lawrie McKinna’s casting vote kept the restriction in place after his fellow Team Central Coast councillors and the Liberals voted down the motion at the March 11 extraordinary meeting.

His casting vote was necessary because Councillor John McNamara was not present, having given his apologies for not making the extraordinary meeting, called when Council didn’t finish the agenda items from its February meeting.

Lamont argues that the restriction is an unnecessary barrier to effective representation and governance.

“I have a list of motions that would benefit the Council and the community, but this restriction is preventing me from doing my job effectively,” she said.

“The NSW Model Code of Meeting Practice provides a framework for council meetings but does not specify a cap on the number of NoMs a councillor can submit.

“Instead, it allows individual councils to establish their own rules regarding this matter.

“That means councillors have the ability to change this rule if they choose to.

“We have a vast region, and after coming out of administration, there is a great deal of work that needs to be done.”

Lamont said she had prepared multiple motions but, due to the one-motion-per-meeting rule, was forced to offer them to fellow councillors.

“I am not possessive about my motions—I am more than happy for other councillors to take them up, as long as they get put forward,” she said. 

“However, I shouldn’t have to rely on others to present the issues that my constituents bring to me. 

“People write and call me about matters that deserve to be addressed by Council, yet I find myself having to pick and choose which issue to bring forward each month. 

“That is not helping the community, and it prevents me from fully carrying out the job I was elected to do—represent the people.”

Lamont said recent Council meeting records show that the current rule is not necessary to prevent an overflow of motions.

“We have 15 councillors, and if each could raise just one motion per meeting, that would total 15 motions per meeting and 60 over the past four meetings. 

“However, in reality, only 12 motions have been raised in total over the last four meetings.

“Clearly, we do not have an issue with too many motions being presented.”

At the most recent meeting, five motions were presented.

One from Lamont, an independent, and two others based on information that she shared with fellow councillors who brought them forward.

“This restriction is limiting not only me but also my fellow councillors from effectively representing their communities,” Lamont said.

“While Labor councillors and Independent Councillor Jane Smith are supportive of removing the NoM cap, I urge the Liberal and Team Central Coast councillors to reconsider and remove this unnecessary rule so that we can properly serve our constituents and address the many pressing issues facing our region.”